Raiding the Lost Ark is a fantastic documentary about Raiders. It is free to watch online.They show the entire movie with behind the scenes footage cut in, and interviews over the whole thing. It's like a super-commentary track edition. Very cool, and very well done. I think this same guy did the same thing with Star Wars too.

Watched Unbreakable for the first time in awhile. It's still my favorite thing 'ol M. Night's made, and I think is the only real one of his original movies that still plays as well after you know the twist.

This time I noticed something interesting toward the end, in the scene in the art gallery. The first time you see Sam Jackson's character in that scene, its in the background, sitting in his wheelchair, talking to several patrons next to three displayed comic covers. The middle of these three displays appears to be a cover of Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

If Shammy could convince the world that was intentional foreshadowing, it would be the best twist ending he'd ever pull off.

I liked it quite a bit, but not as much as the other Bourne movies. The first half is better than the second half. The character was less interesting than Jason Bourne, and this movie really felt like a prequel. Like, now we've got the set up out of the way, the next movie should be interesting.

I felt about the same way on Bourne Legacy, Ed. Some decent action bits (save for that overly-shaky final chase), and I really liked Ed Norton's role, but this new guy isn't nearly as interesting as Jason Bourne, nor is his story as compelling. Plus, that whole lack of a real ending was a letdown. It doesn't compare to the original trilogy (which I still stand by as perhaps the only movie trilogy ever that starts out good and gets better as it goes along).

Anyway, a few I've watched recently.

In the Mouth of Madness. John Carpenter's last great movie (*teardrop*), and one of my favorite horror movies. I love it when films get appropriately meta, and this one goes all over the map. Plus, Sam Neill is always great. Always. Probably about the best Lovecraft movie ever made that wasn't specifically about Lovecraft's work, too.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In the event my fear and cynicism over relationships ever fades and I attempt to pursue one for myself, I feel like I'll be suing this movie as a guide. I love this film so much, and it's one of those ones where I seem to keep forgetting just how much I love it. An outstanding set of performances, a great look at relationships (and also a twist on how most romantic comedies these days play out, in that this movie actually shows the "what happens next" part), and still some of the most innovative effects and editing techniques that I've ever seen. Honestly, I don't think I can praise this one enough.

Get the Gringo. Mel Gibson the person may be a total nutball, but Mel Gibson the actor still knows how to bring it on down for some solid action. A fun little story about an American criminal lost in a Mexican prison, and the small boy he befriends along the way. That sort of sounds trite (and maybe a little creepy, the way I phrased it), but the movie is much rougher than it sounds (in terms of attitude), and it has some wonderfully slick and clever bits that elevate it over most direct-to-DVD fair. Definitely recommended for the action crowd out there.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Long overdue on watching this one after it made the big forum list. Enjoyed it very much once I got the hang of it (I've always been somewhat weirded out by rock operas, even though I tend to enjoy them). Definitely one of the more intense "finding acceptance" movies I've ever seen, or at least the most surreal at times. The subject of gender identity is a very tricky one, but this film takes a very even and understanding approach to it and Hedwig's constant confusion over it. Also, loved the music, some great, rocking songs on this. I'm gonna have to get me the soundtrack soon.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Long overdue on watching this one after it made the big forum list. Enjoyed it very much once I got the hang of it (I've always been somewhat weirded out by rock operas, even though I tend to enjoy them). Definitely one of the more intense "finding acceptance" movies I've ever seen, or at least the most surreal at times. The subject of gender identity is a very tricky one, but this film takes a very even and understanding approach to it and Hedwig's constant confusion over it. Also, loved the music, some great, rocking songs on this. I'm gonna have to get me the soundtrack soon.

We love the soundtrack. Get it, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

I think I am the only person in the whole wide world who hated Eternal Sunshine. I found it boring and ridiculous, but now I'm wondering if maybe I missed something? I don't know, and I don't want to subject myself to watching it again.

I think I am the only person in the whole wide world who hated Eternal Sunshine. I found it boring and ridiculous, but now I'm wondering if maybe I missed something? I don't know, and I don't want to subject myself to watching it again.

While I didn't hate it, I liked everything about it EXCEPT for Clementine's character, who I loathed completely. That prevented me from enjoying their relationship or sympathizing with Joel wanting her back (although I did sympathize with how traumatic the memory erasure was).

Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Long overdue on watching this one after it made the big forum list. Enjoyed it very much once I got the hang of it (I've always been somewhat weirded out by rock operas, even though I tend to enjoy them). Definitely one of the more intense "finding acceptance" movies I've ever seen, or at least the most surreal at times. The subject of gender identity is a very tricky one, but this film takes a very even and understanding approach to it and Hedwig's constant confusion over it. Also, loved the music, some great, rocking songs on this. I'm gonna have to get me the soundtrack soon.

We love the soundtrack. Get it, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

I think I am the only person in the whole wide world who hated Eternal Sunshine. I found it boring and ridiculous, but now I'm wondering if maybe I missed something? I don't know, and I don't want to subject myself to watching it again.

In terms of ridiculousness, have you seen any of the other movies by Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation, Being John Malcovich, Synecdoche New York)? The dude does weird weirder than most, and I know a few people for which that is a turnoff.

The movie is interesting to me, because I can't always pinpoint exactly what I love so much about it. As I noted, I legitimately know jack/diddly about relationships, so maybe that's not something that plays differently to folks who are in established ones. I do know I find the whole thing a refreshing mix of real and craziness, and I love it when movies mix the two well. That ending scene where the house starts to fall apart gets me every time, too (and always helps to remind me why Jim Carrey is always worth it). I really do recommend giving it one more shot to see if it clicks.

And Darth Geek, I'm not even sure you're supposed to like her so much. It doesn't help that the movie starts by showing all the "bad" parts of her, but it's also part of the point that love clicks for some people, no matter how they seem to others. And I think it explains her feelings on everything well, too, so while I too probably wouldn't like to be around her all that much, at least I can understand her to some extent.

The Raid: Redemption. I can't understand why in the world people love this film so much. I think Roger Ebert was right. It felt too much like a video game. The film had virtually no characterization and the action scenes, though entertaining to some degree, became quickly repetitive. Another thing I didn't like was the hero Rama almost never seemed to get tired or collapse, even after beating up and killing around twenty to thirty people at a time. Maybe once he got a bit tired, but he kept going. It's just too ridiculous.

The reason why I like films like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Die Hard is that the heroes actually get hurt and tired and the action in those films is not overly choreographed like a dance routine. In The Raid, heroes keep dancing around like acrobats and taking hits that would in all likelihood kill somebody in real life. After a while, it becomes too much to accept.

Recently I watched a film from 1980 called My Bodyguard and there's two short fights at the end that are a hundred times better than anything in The Raid. That's because there's character and emotion behind the fights; it isn't just a group of ciphers trading endless blows. Also the characters grapple and tumble and get tired, you know, like real people do.

Unless you like mindless action with almost no characterization behind it, I wouldn't recommend The Raid: Redemption.